1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to clothing for men and women, and in particular relates to an article or device to be attached to an outer garment and provide comfort and protection to the person wearing the garment when the person chooses not to wear undergarments (or other inner garments) under the outer garment.
2. Background of the Invention
Current clothing fashions, particularly for women, often dictate tightly fitting, low slung and/or low-rise outer garments, particularly pants or shorts. Wearing of such garments often causes portions of the wearer's underwear to be exposed or revealed as the wearer walks, bends, or otherwise moves about. In other instances where the wearer's undergarments (underwear) are not directly revealed, tightly fitting or thin fabric garments frequently reveal the outline of the undergarments, commonly referred to as disclosing a “panty line.” This exposure or outlining of the undergarments is considered objectionable by many wearers. In order to avoid the exposure or outlining of undergarments, minimal sized undergarments such as thong undergarments have been marketed and used by many wearers. However since even such minimal undergarments are subject to exposure or outlining, although to a lesser degree than regular undergarments, such exposure or outlining is still considered objectionable by some wearers.
In addition, there are persons who for reasons of perceived comfort or simply personal preference do not like to wear undergarments. Thus, whether for personal choice, comfort, appearance or other reasons, numerous people have elected to dispense with the wearing of undergarments entirely, to the extent that dispensing with the wearing of undergarments has recently become a significant social trend, and is commonly referred to as “going commando”, “freeballing” or “freebuffing.” See, for instance, published reports in the “Wikipedia” on-line Internet encyclopedia at http://www.answers.com/topic/going-commando and in Cosmopolitan magazine (p. 186: August 2005).
However, those who have dispensed with their underwear frequently have found that direct contact of sensitive areas of the person's skin which are thus placed in direct contact with the inner surface of the person's outer garments may become irritated, such that the person finds it uncomfortable to have dispensed with the undergarments. At least one commercial product has been marketed which purports to address the problem of discomfort when one dispenses with undergarments. That product is intended to be attached to the inner surface of an outer garment at the point where the wearer would otherwise experience skin discomfort or irritation in the absence of the undergarments. It has been found that the stiffness and shape of that commercial product are such that the product can often disengage from the garment's inner surface and itself become attached directly to the wearer's skin upon such disengagement. This adhesive attachment to the wearer's skin causes significant discomfort to the wearer and can also cause significant injury to the wearer's skin by tearing or abrading the skin surface.
There exist minimal undergarments such as thongs or athletic supporters. Further, there also exist “disposable” undergarments which are intended to be worn once in a normal manner and then be disposed of rather than being washed and reworn. Similarly, there have in the past been what have been called “garment shields.” Such products, which were once popular for use with women's blouses or jackets, were themselves underwear or inner garments, in that they were small individual garments suspended by shoulder straps and worn between a woman's axillary area and the inner surface of the sleeve/torso seam region of the blouse or jacket. Other types of garment shields were sown into and were parts of the garments themselves. Additionally, there exist “panty liners” which are sanitary products which are attached to the inner crotch of female underpanties to absorb and retain menstrual or other vaginal discharges, and then be discarded and, if need be, replaced after a limited period of such absorption. It will be evident that the invention described herein differs significantly from any of these products.
It is therefore a purpose of the present invention to provide a product which a person who wishes to dispense with wearing of undergarments can use in conjunction with his or her outer clothing to provide comfort to sensitive skin areas where underwear or other inner garment would otherwise have provided a barrier between such skin areas and contact with the inner surface of the outer garments.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide for a product which a person can use in conjunction with his or her outer clothing for those bodily areas where an undergarment is not conventionally worn, also to provide comfort to sensitive skin areas which would be in contact with the inner surface of the outer garments even when underwear or other inner garments may be being worn on other parts of the body.
It is also a purpose of the present invention to provide such a product which will avoid or minimize disengagement from the outer garment and subsequent harmful and/or uncomfortable adhesive contact with the wearer's skin.